Students march on Washington

Sarah Rice

Published 7:00 pm, Monday, October 27, 2003

Daily News/SARAH RICE

Along the march route, Central Michigan University students Erik Nilsson, 20, from Midland and Sarah Walters, 21, from Canton stop to take pictures of marchers along 17th Street in Washington, D.C., during their weekend trip. The students made the 13-hour trek with others from Mount Pleasant to protest the United States' occupation in Iraq.

Twenty people left by bus Friday night to make the 13-hour trip from Mount Pleasant to Washington, D.C., to join in an anti-war protest. The protest, staged by International ANSWER, which stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, and United for Peace and Justice, began at the Washington Monument and culminated with a march through the streets of downtown Washington, D.C.

For many of the students from Mount Pleasant, this was their first protest trip. Others, however, were seasoned veterans, offering advice on how to not get lost, and how to pass the time by singing during the long trip.

The protesters, including Central Michigan University students Erik Nilsson, 20, from Midland, Kate Chapman, 19, from Kalamazoo, Sarah Walters, 21, from Canton, and Katie Vasquez, 20, from Fremont, arrived at the capital Saturday morning. The students joined tens of thousands of other protesters, including veterans, socialists and families, all rallying for the same cause.

They put aside their differences to demand the return of American soldiers from Iraq. Protest signs were everywhere: in babies hands, around dogs necks and in the hands of almost every protester. Slogans reading "The World Says No To War," "What If God Blessed Iraq?" and "3/19/03 We Will Never Forget" packed the lawn around the Washington Monument.

"It reinspires solidarity," said Chapman. "I go partly for selfish reasons," she added. Her friend and fellow student, Walters, argued with her, "Its not selfish if you go to recharge yourself."

March organizers estimated the crowd at 100,000 people. Police at the scene put the figure at anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000. Police no longer issue official crowd estimates.

"The peace movement is stronger now than it ever has been, and that is because of each individual contributing their efforts," said Nilsson.

The CMU students separated during the rally. They went through the crowd meeting other protesters, gathering information and volunteering to collect donations to support the cost of the rally. Walters found Nilsson just in time for the march. Taking breaks only for a quick smoke or photograph, the two carried their signs and chanted through the downtown. It took them 2 1/2 hours to finish the march route, which began at the Washington Monument, weaving back around to the White House, and making its way down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol before returning to the monument.

"I hope we got someones attention," Chapman said on the bus trip back to Michigan.